Side-by-side distribution
Chemical Engineer
$105,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47.2%
- Live roles
- 123
Nuclear Engineer
$133,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 56.9%
- Live roles
- 130
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Chemical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer IV - Wet Chemical Tool
Chemical/Mechanical Engineer
Senior Chemical Process Engineer
Senior Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Senior Chemical Engineer – Process Development
Chemical Delivery/Flow Control Device Quality Engineer E4
Chemical Process Engineer
Project Engineer (CAPITAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT) (CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING)
Senior Chemical Engineer – Process Technology
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer
Staff Nuclear Hardness and Survivability Engineer
Principal Nuclear Engineer
Sentinel - Sr Staff Nuclear Hardness Survivability Engineer - 19988
Senior/Staff Nuclear Safety Analysis Engineer
Engineer IV - VI, Nuclear Safety Analysis
Staff Nuclear Hardness & Survivability Systems Engineer
Staff Systems Engineer - Nuclear Hardness & Survivability -18271
Sentinel - Nuclear Surety - Staff Systems Engineer - 20390
Nuclear Licensing Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Mitsubishi Chemical Group
|
$98,800 | 9 |
Barr Engineering
|
$78,000 | 8 |
KLA
|
$82,883 | 4 |
|
Applied Materials
|
$158,500 | 3 |
Samsung
|
$110,500 | 3 |
Solenis
|
$95,296 | 3 |
|
Apex Technology, Inc.
|
$155,000 | 2 |
|
Leidos
|
$116,344 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 14 |
|
Radiant Industries
|
$168,188 | 11 |
General Matter
|
$125,000 | 6 |
The Aerospace Corporation
|
$167,850 | 4 |
|
Antares
|
$167,500 | 4 |
| GV GE Vernova | $164,150 | 4 |
|
Amentum
|
$137,500 | 4 |
|
X-energy
|
$133,500 | 3 |
Nuclear Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $147,500 | 9 |
Chemical Engineer vs Nuclear Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Chemical Engineer is $105,000 per year (typically $86,809–$131,250), versus $133,500 for Nuclear Engineer ($120,000–$175,500). That puts Nuclear Engineer about 27% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Chemical Engineer and Nuclear Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.